Emergency kit usable as a paddle or bailer



fl- 1970 A. o. AKERMANIS 3,529,907

EMERGENCY KIT USABLE AS A PADDLE OR BAILER Filed Feb. 14, 1969 3' iheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. lxvoesvs 0. AKEEMA/V/S- Sept. 22, 1970 A. o. AKERMANIS 3,529,907

EMERGENCY KIT USABLE AS A SADDLE 0R BAIL-ER Filed Feb. 14, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 23 JNVENTOR. Auoeszs O. AKFQ A/V/s P 2, 1970 A. o. AKERMANIS 3,529,907

EMERGENCY KIT USABLE AS A PADDLE 0R BAIIJER Filed Feb. 14, 1969 s Sheets-Sheet :s

INVENTOR. A/voezws O. A/(EQMA/V/S United States Patent 3,529,907 EMERGENCY KIT USABLE AS A PADDLE 0R BAILER Andreys 0. Akermanis, 3401 N. Westmoreland Drive, Orlando, Fla. 32804 Filed Feb. 14, 1969, Ser. No. 799,457 Int. Cl. B63h 16/04 US. Cl. 416-71 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device in the nature of an emergency kit for a marine craft or the like involving a pair of principal members that are relatively slidable. The device is normally carried in a stowed condition in which these members are closely interfitted, but being capable of being extended into an operative position in which one member serves as a water-contacting portion, and the other member serves as a handle, thus forming a paddle. The one member is also separable from the other and usable as a bailer. Advantageously, each of these members can contain hollow, watertight portions in which certain small pieces of emergency equipment can be maintained in a dry condition.

This invention relates to a compact piece of emergency equipment for a marine craft or the like, and more particularly to a combination device usable either as a paddle or a bailer, and containing repositories in which small pieces of emergency equipment may be maintained in a dry condition.

In the past a number of types of emergency equipment have been proposed for use in marine craft, and these have included the use of telescoping paddles, and paddles containing boat hooks, flares or the like. Some of these have been manufactured in production quantities but none is believed to have ever gained wide acceptance or use.

The present invention was developed to meet the need for compact, easily stowed equipment for a small boat or the like, which would be relatively inexpensive to produce, but yet offering a number of advantages for a stranded boater. My device principally comprises a pair of interfitting members that can be moved from a compact position into an extended position in which one member serves as the water-contacting portion of a paddle, and the other member serves as the handle for the paddle. When in this extended condition, the boater can effectively utilize the strength of both arms in propelling his craft toward safety.

Realizing that the craft may have taken on water, I have designed the one member to have a scoop-shaped portion and to be separable from the other member so that on occasion it can serve as a bailer. Further, the handle of the bailer can contain a Water-tight compartment in which items such as a first aid kit, matches, or the like may be maintained in a dry condition.

The second member typically has a pair of elongate bar-like portions along which the portion of the first member opposite the scoop portion can slide, thus assuring an effective relationship of the first and second members in all positions between the stowed position and the extended position. These bar-like portions not only serve to give considerable strength and protection to the device, but also each is typically hollow and designed to serve as a location for elongate items such as a sail, flashlight, fishing line and the like.

It is therefore a principal object of my invention to provide an elfective piece of emergency equipment for a boater, enabling him to obtain propulsion as well as the ready use of difierent types of emergency equipment.

3,529,907 Patented Sept. 22, 1970 It is another object of my invention to provide an eifective paddle that can be readily collapsed into a stowed condition in which the handle portion serves to protect the water-contacting member.

It is another object of my invention to provide effective bailing means as well as means for maintaining a number of pieces of emergency equipment in a dry condition.

These and other objects, features and advantages of my invention will be more apparent from a study of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a device in accordance with my invention, shown with the water-contacting member in the extended position ready for use;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a showing of the device of FIG. 1, with the water-contacting member in the stowed position;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are end views taken adjacent the ends of the device as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, respectively;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the water-engaging or scoop member, with certain portions thereof shown in exploded relation;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view to a somewhat larger scale of the closure member associated with FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the second member, with portions broken away to reveal internal construction;

FIG. 9 is an exploded type view revealing the types of emergency items that may be contained in one of the bar-like portions of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 reveals an elongate member in the form of a rolled up sail, such as may be contained in the other bar-like portion; and

FIG. 11 is a view to a much smaller scale of the type of sail that may be desirable to be contained in my device.

Referring to FIG. 1 it will be noted that my combination device 10 principally comprises first and second members 11 and 12, which are elongate, relatively movable members. The member 11 may have a scoop or water-contacting portion 13 at one end, and a mounting portion or support means 14 at the other end, latter serving to interconnect the first member with the second member at all times except when it may be desirable to separate the first member as shown in FIG. 6 so that it can be used as a bailer.

The second member, member 12, principally comprises a pair of bar-like portions 15 and 16 along which the support means 14 is sliadable, which portions are held in spaced parallel relation by end members 17 and 18. The bar-shaped portions are typically hollow and may be made of comparatively light material such as wood or plastic, or in some instances of light metal.

As will be apparent from FIG. 5, the member 17 has an aperture in its mid-portion so as to allow the first member 11 to slide easily between the stowed position shown in FIG. 3, and the extended position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. When the first member is in the stowed position, the outer portions of the second member serve to surround and protect the scoop portion 13, so that it will not be chipped or broken.

Referring to FIG. 6 it will be noted that the mounting portion 14 of the first member is equipped with recessed or cut-out portions 21 and 22 that are of a configuration and spacing such as to fit closely yet slidably between the elongate portions 15 and 16 of the second member. It will also be noted from this figure that closure member 24 has more or less similar recesses 25 and 26 so that this member, also, does not interfere with motion along the bar portions 15 and 16. Likewise, the edges of the scoop portion can be recessed to conform to the spacing of the bars; note FIGS. 2 and 6 at 30.

The closure member 24 is normally secured in watertight relation on the end of the first member remote from the scoop portion, such as by a joined-together pair of pins 27. These pins are designed to fit snugly through respective holes in member 24, and to engage respective longitudinal slots 28 in the end of the first member 11 such that the member 24 cannot be removed except when the pins have been pulled out. A recess 29 is provided in the end of member 11 remote from the scoop portion, extending for a substantial distance toward the scoop portion and thus being of a size to accommodate a first aid kit, matches, replacement batteries and the like. A lip or flange 31 is provided around the outer edges of the recess 29 so that waterproofing of the recess can be easily accomplished.

Referring to FIG. 7 it will be noted that the interior portion of member 24 is provided with gasket type material 32 or the like, which material fits closely up against the flange 31 and thus assures water-tightness at such time as the member 24 has been properly installed and the pins 27 are in place. This material for example can be rubber, plastic, cork or the like.

Referring to FIG. 8 it will be noted that the member 12 has been depicted in such a manner as to reveal that the bar-like members 15 and 16 are hollow, and thus able to accommodate easily the elongate pieces of emergency equipment shown in this figure and the other figures contained on this sheet. These items of course may be in the nature of a flare, whistle, fishline and hook, flashlight, and sail. Plugs or closures 35 are provided for sealing the ends of the tubes 15 and 16, with these members typically being equipped with O-rings to assure that moisture will be excluded from the interior of bar members 15 and 16.

FIG. 11 reveals the configuration of sail that may be utilized and stored in bar 15, such sail being designed to have a loop that can fit over the neck of the stranded boater, and to have strings or tabs at the lower end designed to be held by the boater so that he can in effect serve as the mast for the sail when he is seated in the boat.

As should now be apparent, I have shown and described an inexpensive and easily stowed device that is ideal to be taken along on all boating trips. Despite its small stowed size, when extended into the position shown in FIG. 1, the user can effectively and simultaneously use the strength of both his arms. This is because he can grasp the member 24 with one hand and the member 18 with the other hand, and deliver far more power than would be possible if the device were configured only for use in one hand. When held in the two hands, no locking means is needed to keep the members in the extended relationship.

By manufacturing this device out of lightweight materials, it can be made to float and thus easily recoverable if it falls overboard.

I claim:

1. A combination device for marine purposes comprising elongate, relatively movable first and second members, said first member having at one end a portion designed to be brought on occasion into contact with water, and on the opposite end having a support means designed to slidably interfit with a portion of said second member, said second member utilizing at least one elongated portion along which said support means for said first member is slidable, said first member being capable of being moved to a recessed position in which it is substantially entirely within the configuration of said second member, and at the whim of the user being movable to an extended position in which said Water-contacting portion can be directly used as a paddle member, with said second member then serving as a handle for said paddle member, said first member being removably secured to said second member, said first member having a portion that is scoopshaped, said first member, when separated from said second member, being capable of use as a bailer, the end of said first member remote from said scoop-shaped portion having a hollow portion, and means utilized as a cover for said hollow portion, said cover means fitting in a watertight manner so that small items liable to be damaged by water may be maintained in a dry condition inside said first member.

2. A combination device for marine purposes comprising elongate, relatively movable first and second members, said first member having at one end a portion designed to be brought on occasion into contact with water, and on the opposite end having a support means designed to slidably interfit with a portion of said second member, said second member utilizing at least one elongated portion along which said support means for said first member is slidable, said first member being capable of being moved to a recessed position in which it is substantially entirely within the configuration of said second member, and at the whim of the user being movable to an extended position in which said water-contacting portion can be directly used as a paddle member, with said second member then serving as a handle for said paddle member, said elongated portion of said second member being hollow, and thus able to serve as a repository for small, elongate, emergency-type items.

3. A device usable either as a paddle or as a bailer comprising elongate, interfitting first and second members, said first member having at one end a scoop-shaped portion designed on occasion to be brought into contact with the water, and having on the end remote from said scoop-shaped portion adapted to slideably contact said second member and to serve as an interconnecting means therewith, said second member having a pair of elongated bar-shaped portions along which said interconnecting means may travel, said first member being capable of being moved to a compact position with respect to said second member such that said first member is substantially entirely within the confines of said second member, and being movable to an extended position in which said second member serves as a handle means for said first member.

4. The device as defined in claim 3 in which said first member is separable from said second member, and when so separated being readily usable as a bailer means.

5. The device as defined in claim 4 in which the end of said first member remote from the scoop-shaped portion is at least partially hollow and thus able to serve as a repository for small items, and waterproof closure means adapted to be fastened over the hollow end of said first member so as to prevent the undesirable entry of moisture.

6. The device as defined in claim 3, in which said elongate bar-shaped members are hollow and thus able to serve as a repository for elongate items of emergency equipment to be stored, and means for serving as a watertight closure for each of said bar-shaped members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 510,775 12/1893 Christy 30162 2,319,870 5/ 1943 Larsen 29455 3,362,033 1/1968 Fee 924 EVERETTE A. POWELL, JR., Primary Examiner 

